Fire-extinguisher.



No. 677,7!5. 'Patented July 2, |90I. G. W. THOMPSDN. FIRE EXTINGUISHEB.

(Application filed May 8, 1900.)

` (No llodeL) ed by variations in the pressure of the water piece of metal, which has its top bent to trans- UNrrnD i GEORGE WILSON THOMPSON,

OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFIGALIGN forming par?. of Letters Patent No. 677,715, dated July 2, 1901.

Application filed May 8, 1900. Serial No. 15,888. (No model.)

To all whom' it may concern:

Be it known that I ,GEORGE WILSON THOMP- SON, of Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Extinguishers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of lireextinguishers in which a sprinkler-head is located in a water-supply pipe in convenient proximity to the goods or articles to be sprayed in caseof a dangerous degree of heat and Whose valve is held closed by a fastening, the separable sections of which are held together by a fusible substance.

The object of the invention is an automatic fire-sprinkler of this character which will hold thevalve securelytoitsseatundernormaltemperature, not disturbed or injuriously affectin the service-pipe, and yet very sensitive to abnormally high or dangerous temperature, when it will become positively active and readily permit of the unseating of the valve.

The invention consists in certain details of construction and arrangements and combinations of the parts, which I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a face view of myimproved fireextinguisher. Fig. 2 is a rear view. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the extinguisher. Fig. 4 is a top view of same. Fig. 5 is a crosssectional View through K K, Fig. 7. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the deflector-plate, and Fig. 7 is a sectional view illustrating a slightly-different construction.

The frame I of my improved sprinkler has the usual nipple for attachment to a servicepipe and is provided With an air-chamber L and a rubber tube R and with a valve-seat, on which is adapted to rest a valve A, provided with a cap B, formed with a central depression h and hook C, as shown. In the depression h is adapted to loosely t the lower end of aprop or strut D, formed of a suitable flat fer the pressure slightly beyond the center of gravity at its intersection with the bar F. The barF has depressions ff f2, made to receive the Strut D, screw G, and rail II, and the lever is held in the position shown in Fig. 3 by the fusible retaining device. This fusible retaining device is shown vin Figs. l, 2, and 3 as a strip of metal, forming a support at 2 for the outer end Of the lever F, near the free extremity of the long arm of such lever, and resisting the upward thrust of the prop D under the opposite or short arm of the lever, as shown in Fig. 3. As the vertical strain on the fusible retaining device is only one seventy-ft-h of What it is on the prop D, it is evident that very sensitive solder Will hold it.

In the specific construction of the device 1 it is represented as having an upright portion 3, held alongside the prop D, near the upper end of the latter, and an arm 4, extending outwardly from the upper end of the arm 3, bearing at 2 under and supporting the outer end of the lever F and held at 5 and 6 upon and alongside the cross-bar 7, which is arranged slightly outside the path of the Outer end of the lever F, so that 4if the temperature be raised to a dangerous point the retaining device will soften and fall by gravity irrespective of pressure of the Water, Which will tilt the lever F, and the prop will permit the valve to open and the water to be discharged to extinguish the lire. This action causes the Water to impinge against a spray-cap or deflectorplate J, secured rigidly to the top plate of the frame, and formed, as shown in detail in Fig. 5, with a marginal series of deecting-lugs j and with lateral passages j?. In adjusting the device the screw G passes through top of frame and deliector J, and in operation after this screw is turned down to the desired pressure the deflector J is to be turned up tight against the top of frame,'operating as a jamnut and making a secure lock for the screw. The pressure of the screw is directly over the center of the valve, and the lateral or out- Ward movement of the prop D When released is obtained by the slight bend at top ofD and the short arm of the lever. The bar F is held rigidly in place by forming it with the depression for the reception of the parts D, G, and I-I, and can only be released by the removal or softening of the fusible retaining device.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 7 the retaining device is in the form Of a strut IOO composed of three pieces, two pieces M M', end on end tolfull height from nipple to bar F, and a third piece M2, somewhat shorter than and soldered to the face of sections M M', lapping their adjoining ends with soft solder. As the vertical strain on bar M is only oneninth of what is on the prop D, it is evident that very sensitive solder will hold it. The strut lits at its opposite ends in notches f3 and t', as shown in Fig. 7.

The hook C passes through the bottom p0rtion of the prop D and forms a guide, so that the said prop can only fall in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 3, and the momentum and leverage obtained bythe time it reaches the outer rim of the cap will surely unseat it.

The rubber tube R is placed in the nipple, as shown. This tube will give slightly in case of sudden concussion like the thumping of a pump, and While it is in no sense necessary to the security of the valve it coperates with the other parts in securing an efficient accurately-working construction. The valve and cap consist of a thin sheet of aluminium or other non-corrosive metal and a cap with rim on under side to receive the aluminium, with or without a thin layer of rubber between them, and a depression on top to receive the strut D and hook, for purpose aforesaid.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y 1. The combination with the va lve, the

prop, the lever, and a support or bar lying outside the path of such lever, of the fusible retaining-strip l, secured to the prop and having the arms 3 and 4: said strip being connected with the support or bar and forming a support for the lever substantially as set forth.

2. The herein-described automatic sprinkler comprising the valve, the prop, the lever, the screw on which said lever pivots, the rail H, and the fusible retaining means independent of said rail and operating to secure the lever in position against such rail substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the valve having a seat for the prop, and a curved guide overlying the same, the prop bearing in said seat and having an opening for the curved guide, and a fusible retaining means for the prop substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the valve, the prop arranged at one end to hold the valve closed, a pivoted lever having an arm engaged with the other end of the prop, a support or bar lying outside the path of such lever, and a fusible retaining-strip secured at one end to the prop, and held at its other end to the snpport or bar and forming between its ends a support for the lever whereby to hold the same in position to hold the valve closed, substantially as set forth.

GEORGE WILSON THOMPSON.

NVitnesses:

T. J. MooNEY, F. A. BREW. 

